Define local variables in another function

Question

I've been looking at Magic Constants and Reflection in PHP to see if the following is possible:

function one() {

  setVars();

  // $node would be in scope
  print_r($node);

}

function setVars() {
  return $node = '2';
}

Is this a classical programming concept? Reflection seems to be the closest thing. Basically, I just want to define variables in a different scope (the scope/context of the function that called the setVars() function).

$node wouldnt be in scope there. you would have to do $node = setVars()... unless im missing something. — prodigitalson
– prodigitalson, Commented Apr 1, 2013 at 15:32
php.net/manual/en/functions.returning-values.php#example-158 — Dave
– Dave, Commented Apr 1, 2013 at 15:37
you could return an array and then use extract... or jsut use the variables in the array. — prodigitalson
– prodigitalson, Commented Apr 1, 2013 at 15:37
@prodigitalson or just use the list syntax like in the example I posted, which was made for this purpose. — Dave
– Dave, Commented Apr 1, 2013 at 15:38
@mavame I don't understand why one would do that. If you want to tightly couple two different functions like that, why not put them in a common class so that all the methods would have access to the class properties (which could be set with a method like setVars)? — Mike Brant
– Mike Brant, Commented Apr 1, 2013 at 15:40

Siamak Motlagh · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-01 15:39:28Z

1

For more than one variable try to store them in a array and return the array.

function one() {

  $nodeArray = setVars();
  print_r($nodeArray );

}

function setVars() {
  $nodeArray[] = 1;
  $nodeArray[] = 1;
  $nodeArray[] = 1;
  return $nodeArray;
}

edited Apr 1, 2013 at 15:39

answered Apr 1, 2013 at 15:33

Siamak Motlagh

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4 Comments

mavame Over a year ago

I should have been more clear. I want to define MULTIPLE variables, not just one.

Siamak Motlagh Over a year ago

This is MULTIPLE dear. The difference is i stored the values in a array.

mavame Over a year ago

Except that your example returns only one value. I would then need to run extract on the result to have multiple local variables defined inside one(). Thanks for your answer

Siamak Motlagh Over a year ago

This one array can be splited easy by list().

GabeIsman · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-01 15:40:56Z

1

Take a look at extract().

function one() {

  $vars = setVars();
  extract($vars);

  // $node1 would be in scope
  print_r($node1);

}

function setVars() {
  $node1 = '1';
  $node2 = '2';
  return compact('node1','node2');
}

It should be said, although this is possible, it often leads to terrible architecture and problems down the line.

answered Apr 1, 2013 at 15:40

GabeIsman

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2 Comments

Siamak Motlagh Over a year ago

There is no need to compact and extract I think.

GabeIsman Over a year ago

No, probably not, but the question was asking about defining local variables in another scope, and I think this is the closest you get to that.

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